"Americans' views of race relations had been quite positive from a historical perspective prior to the Zimmerman verdict, which has sparked protests around the country and calls for Zimmerman to be tried in federal court for violating Martin's civil rights," Jeffrey Jones writes for Gallup. "It is not clear whether the Zimmerman verdict will force Americans to re-evaluate their views of race relations, in the short term or the long term."

Americans perceive white-Asian relations as the most positive in the country, with 87 percent of respondents saying relations between the two groups is either somewhat good or very good. Relations between whites and blacks came in second, with 70 percent viewing them positively and 30 percent negatively.

White-Hispanic relations scored the same as white-black relations, at 70 percent.

Black-Hispanic relations fared the worst, with only 60 percent viewing them positively, the survey said.

Relations between Hispanics and whites and Hispanics and blacks have both grown more positive after a slump in 2006. Gallup has measured perceptions of ethnic relations since 2001.